EYEBROWS were raised when former health minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek showed up in Parliament yesterday.

It certainly fuelled speculation when he met Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar at the latter's office for about 30 minutes.

"That's between me and him," quipped Dr Chua when asked about the meeting.

Dr Chua later went around the members' lounge and shook hands with the MPs.

He said he was keeping himself busy by "being mentally active" by reading, exercising and day-dreaming. He, however, refused to reveal what he day-dreamed about.
When asked whether he had met his son, Chua Tee Yong (BN-Labis), Dr Chua jokingly said his son was not around to see him.

He also said his son, who was elected to his seat when he declined to seek re-election following a sex-tape scandal, solicited advice from him.

"Of course, he asks me for advice. Like a lot of the new MPs here, he has a lot to learn. However, at the end of the day, it all depends on what he wants to do. He is not a small boy."

At that moment, Tee Yong appeared at the members' lounge and photographers went into a frenzy taking pictures of father and son together.

On another matter, Dr Chua, who is a former MCA vice-president, said he would meet the party's three-man panel next Wednesday.

The panel was tasked to investigate allegations that a "snoop squad" had been set up to spy on president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting's political enemies.

He said although he had confidence in the panel, he expressed concerns that its ability to function properly was limited.

"Some members may not want to come forward because party elections are just around the corner. People are more concerned about their positions in the party," he said, adding that the panel should instead meet privately.

On Ong's statement made on Wednesday, Dr Chua said the panel had not even finished its job and the party president had pre-empted it by saying that he (Ong) was a victim of a smear campaign.